Derek Offord - Using Russian - A Guide to Contemporary Usage

Note:

there is a similar spatial use in phrases such as чe´рeз двe остaно´вки, in two stops (i.e. when one is going to get off a bus or train).

(c)

via a place:

Oн поe´хaл тудa´ чe´рeз Mоскву´. He went there via Moscow .

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10.1

Valency of prepositions

(d)

through an intermediary:

говори´ть с кe´м-н чe´рeз

to speak to sb through an interpreter

пeрeво´дчикa

(e)

when an action affects alternate objects in a series:

рaбо´тaть чe´рeз дeнь

to work every other day

пeчa´тaть/нaпeчa´тaть чe´рeз

to print on every other line (i.e. to

строку´

double-space )

10.1.3

Prepositions governing the genitive

A very large number of prepositions may govern the genitive case. The most common ones are из, от, сand y. All of the prepositions listed in this section, with the exception of мe´ждуand c, invariably govern the genitive case.

БEз

without :

(a)

бeз знaчe´ния

without significance

бeз оши´бок

without mistakes

(b)

in expressions of time, to indicate minutes before the hour, e.g.

бeз пяти´(мину´т) дe´сять

(at) five to ten

бeз чe´твeртидвa (чaсa´)

(at) a quarter to two

BBид ´

У

in view of , rather formal:

Bвиду´ вну´трeннeго кри´зисa

In view of the internal crisis the president

прeзидe´нт рeши´л нe выeзжa´ть

decided not to go abroad .

зa грaни´цу.

BдOлЬ

along (i.e. adhering to a line; see also 10.4):

Heфтяноé пятно´ рaстeкло´сь

The oil slick f lowed out along

вдоль побeрe´жья.

the coast .

BM ´

ECTO

instead of, in place of :

Oн пошёл нa собрa´ниe

He went to the meeting instead

вмe´сто своeго´ брa´тa.

of his brother .

Note:

вмe´стоshould not be confused with вмe´стe, together .

BHE

outside (as opposed to inside ):

внe го´родa

outside the town

внe зaко´нa

outside the law

Note:

внeis narrower in meaning than Eng outside , which may have to be translated into Russian with other prepositions such as о´колоor пe´рeд(see 10.4).

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10

Prepositions

BHУ TPи

´

inside , to indicate the position in which sth is located ( внутри´is itself a form in the prepositional case):

Bнутри´ корaбля´– торпe´ды c

Inside the ship are torpedoes with nuclear

я´дeрными боeголо´вкaми.

warheads .

BHУ TPЬ

inside , to indicate movement inwards ( внутрьis itself a form in the accusative case):

Bойскa´ бы´стро продви´нулись

The troops quickly moved inland .

внутрь стрaны´.

B ´

OзлE

by, near :

Bоздви´гли пa´мятник

They erected a monument near

во´злe собо´рa.

the cathedral .

BOКP ´

У Г

round :

путeшe´ствиe вокру´г свe´тa

a journey round the world

BПEPEди

´

in front of, ahead of :

Bпeрeди´ поéздaстоя´л сугро´б.

In front of the train was a snowdrift .

BCл ´

EдCTBиE

because of, owing to :

Bслe´дствиe тумa´нaмa´тч нe

Owing to the fog the match did not take

состоя´лся.

place .

длЯ

for in the sense of for the benefit of or for the purpose of : подa´рок для дру´гa

a present for (оne’s) friend

ору´диe для

a tool for

Note:

дляis much narrower in meaning than English for , which may have to be translated by other prepositions such as зa+ acc or нa+ acc (see 10.4), or indeed by no preposition at all.

дO

(a)

before and until in a temporal sense:

Э

´ то произошло´ до войны´.

This happened before the war .

Oн рaбо´тaeт до шeсти´ чaсо´в.

He works until six o’clock .

(b)

up to or as far as in a spatial sense:

Oн доe´хaл до Bлaдивосто´кa.

He went as far as Vladivostok .

из

(a)

out of , when movement is involved:

выходи´ть/вы´йти из ко´мнaты

to go out of/leave the room

вынимa´ть/вы´нуть из кaрмa´нa

to take out of one’s pocket

(b)

to indicate that sb or sth is of a particular origin, or that an object is made of or consists of sth, or is one out of a larger number:

из крeстья´нской сeмьи´

from a peasant family

плa´тьe из шёлкa

a silk dress

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10.1

Valency of prepositions

обe´д из пяти´ блюд

a five-course dinner

однa´ из сa´мых лу´чших книг

оne of the best books

(c)

to indicate that some action results from a certain experience or

feeling:

из до´лгого о´пытaзнa´ю, что. . . From long experience I know that. . .

Oнa´ э´то сдe´лaлa из любви´к

She did this out of love for the children .

дe´тям.

и´з-зA

(a)

out from behind :

и´з-зa углa´

from round the corner

встaвa´ть/встaть и´з-зa столa´

to get up from the table

(b)

because of when the cause of sth is regarded unfavourably:

Oнa´ нe моглa´ рaбо´тaть и´з-зa

She could not work because of a

головно´й бо´ли.